Have 'Special Economic Zones' Entered the 21st Century Yet? A Tale of Two Cities
At the World Free Zone Convention in Izmir, Turkey, which I attended in December, an important question was asked: Have "Special Economic Zones" entered the 21st Century? Evidence shows that, in...
View ArticlePISA data on financial literacy: Unanswered questions on developing financial...
A few weeks ago, the results of the OECD’s PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) module on financial literacy were revealed, with Shanghai taking top honors in this category – just as...
View ArticleForeign Investment Policy: Encouraging news from China
The Investment Policy team of the World Bank Group’s Trade & Competitiveness (T&C) Global Practice has learned that China is about to adopt a new foreign investment law that would bring about...
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Newest private participation in infrastructure update shows growth and...
In 2013, investment commitments to infrastructure projects with private participation declined by 24 percent from the previous year. It should be welcome news that the first half of 2014 (H1) data –...
View ArticleHow to Make Zones Work Better in Africa?
Sub-Saharan Arica has launched a new wave of “special economic zones” (SEZs), with more and more countries establishing or planning to establish SEZs or industrial parks. However, can Africa overcome...
View Article'World SME Forum': A global platform to support SME development, bridging...
This post was originally published on January 22, 2016 by the World SME Forum. With this week's kickoff of the 2016 China “Business 20” (B20) proceedings in Beijing, this is an opportune time to...
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Competitive Cities: Changsha, China – coordination, competition, construction...
Cites are the heartbeat of the global economy. More than half the world’s population now resides in metropolitan areas, making a disproportionate contribution to their respective countries’...
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The essentials of a manufacturing ecosystem
Value addition through manufacturing has been a major focus of economic policymakers across the world, and at times with remarkable success, most famously in East Asia. Initial ‘Asian miracles’ in...
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The false debate: choosing between promoting FDI and domestic investment
“Should we focus our efforts on foreign investment or domestic investment?” Policymakers in developing economies often ask this question when the World Bank Group advises them on how to improve their...
View ArticleWhy the developing world can succeed in digital manufacturing
Today I’m taking part in a World Bank Annual Meetings event that focuses on a very important question: How can developing countries continue to excel in manufacturing?
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Key lessons for policymakers from China’s financial inclusion experience
Over the past 15 years, China has emerged as one of the world’s financial inclusion success stories. While much attention has been paid to the rapid innovation and massive scaling of Chinese fintech...
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